To Live Again
by rhavensfyre
Summary: Nigel goes to visit Andy for her birthday Miranda tags along


This is our first one shot. If it seems odd please forgive us it was written at 3 in the morning.

If you like this please let us know. It might get expanded into a bigger story. More of a fairy tale

We don't own TDWP or the wonderful characters

A/N: updated. We have expanded this story into a longer version now called To Live Again A modern Fairy Tale. It will have the beginning showing how Andy got to where she is and how she will get better

To Live Again

The knock on Miranda's door was followed by a tentative query.

"Miranda?"

Nigel's voice made her look up from her work, finally. She had been completely unaware of his presence prior to him knocking.

He had stood there for a moment, watching her work. She always demanded so much from herself, throwing herself into her job 110% everyday to the exclusion of pretty much anything else. He had to admit, Miranda Priestly was a very stunning woman. The contrast of porcelain smooth skin against the purest white hair gave her an ethereal look that made it difficult to tell her age. Her eyes, piercing beneath pale eyebrows, were the brightest and coldest blue he had ever seen on anyone, male or female. The whole look reminded him of why they called her the Ice Queen, but it wasn't just for her looks. She could be ruthless, and often was, but Nigel had seen another part of her, the part that was capable of being a very loving, caring person. This Ice Queen persona served a purpose in the dog eat dog world of high fashion, but Nigel knew there was more to her then what she let the world see.

Focusing on Nigel waiting patiently in the doorway, Miranda stopped what she was doing and leaned back in her chair.

"Come in, Nigel." She was always happy to see Nigel. She pushed her work away from her, offering all her attention towards her dear friend. They chatted for a moment, with Nigel asking about the girls, and her inquiring about his new boyfriend, before Nigel brought up the real reason he was there.

"I need a couple of days off."

"Why, is everything ok?" Miranda asked curiously, mentally going through their schedule; did they have anything that needed his immediate attention?

"Yes, it's just that a friend of mine's birthday is coming up and I didn't want her spending it alone." He stopped there, hoping Miranda wouldn't ask more questions.

Miranda looked down at the pen in her hand, twirling it idly while her brain processed what Nigel had told her. She knew most of Nigel's friends, and there was only one person Nigel knew and cared enough to take time off for.

"You know where she is?" She asked quietly, still not looking up at Nigel. There was no need to say who "she" was.

"Yes."

The simple answer sent her into a fury, abruptly leaning forward in her chair; she slammed the pen down in front of Nigel.

"You knew where she was all this time, Nigel? I have been looking for her all this time and you knew?" Her shock and frustration at learning this bit of news brought her voice up an octave or two. her eyes flashed angrily at Nigel, who leaned back in his chair in response to the icy look in Miranda's cold blue eyes.

Nigel was taken aback. Yes, he knew she had been upset when Andy had left, but he didn't know she had been looking for her.

"I didn't know you were looking for her, Miranda." He told her, suddenly afraid that he had made a very big mistake. Evidently whatever had been between those two was not over, not yet.

Miranda stood up, her next words confirming his fears.

"I'm coming with you."

She hit the intercom button. "Emily, clear my schedule for the next week."

Nigel knew that tone of voice, there would be no arguing from him or anyone else. He tried one last thing to dissuade Miranda from her course of action.

"What about the twins?" He inquired, holding his breath. He was going to be in huge trouble with Andy if he showed up with Miranda.

"The twins are with their father. Summer break started last week so he will have them for the next month." Her response wasn't what he wanted to hear, his shoulder's sagged in defeat.

"Ok, Miranda, I was going to leave in the morning, where do you want to meet." Miranda heard the defeat in his voice, and realized she was coming off to strong.

Taking Nigel by the hand, she squeezed it gently.

"Oh, Nigel, don't look so glum. I'm not going there to bite her head off. I promise." Flashing Nigel a rare smile she returned to her seat.

"If we are leaving in the morning, I should get some work done. Please do the same." Miranda picked up a folder and opened it, intently staring at the photos within its confines. Nigel's eyebrows shot up, confused at the sudden shift in Miranda's behavior.

Miranda waited until she felt Nigel leave, and then dropped her guise. She hadn't taken in a single photo. She couldn't concentrate on work, not now.

_Andrea_, she whispered. Pressing the palms of her hands against her face, she let herself remember. Conjured up images flashed behind her eyelids like a slideshow, revealing Andrea's face, her voice, how she moved. She had finally found her.

Nigel knocked twice with no answer before pulling out a key so he could let himself into Andy's house. If Miranda found it odd that he had a key, she didn't let on. She just waited silently, taking in the view. The drive had taken less then two hours, only two hours to remove them from the cold steel and concrete towers of New York City and placing them firmly in the middle of nowhere. Andy's house was really just a small cabin, made of hand hewn logs and old tin. It looked more at home in the 1800's, and was probably that old. It was also perfectly hidden from the small country road by a massive tangle of trees that isolated the cabin from the world. They had almost missed the small gravel and stone driveway, tucked away as it was between two rows of overgrown bushes. As Nigel drove carefully down the middle of the thin driveway, she realized that the bushes were raspberry plants, dotted with large red berries. A faint scratching noise made her glad that Nigel had taken his car, although she did wince in sympathy. The bushes had thorns.

As soon as the door swung open loud music assaulted their ears, coming from deeper within the small cabin. It grew louder when they stepped in to the small kitchen.

"Six!" Nigel yelled in order to be heard over the music, it quickly decreased in volume.

"In the living room." Nigel followed her voice, his ears still ringing from the loud music. _How did she stand it?_

Nigel found her sitting at her work bench, a yellow bicycle suspended in some sort of vise in front of her. He could feel Miranda crowding behind him, so he stepped aside to let her into the small room.

Miranda stood silently, taking in her first view of Andrea after six long months. She was wearing an old pair of cutoff jean shorts and a sports bra. She had cut her beautiful brown hair; it was barely collar length now.

Andy didn't look up. Her hands were busy, fiddling with something on her bike. She idly rubbed her face with the back of her hand, leaving a black streak on her cheek.

"What are you doing, Six?" Nigel shook his head ruefully. Of course she would be covered in grease, today of all days.

"Installing a new bottom bracket, the crank, and some new gears," she answered, reattaching the crank onto the bottom bracket. Nigel kept talking, it interrupted her focus, made her become aware of the room around her. She stiffened suddenly, feeling the air around her change perceptively. Perhaps she had sensed her breathing; maybe her mind had caught a faint trace of her Perfume. She didn't look up, she refused to, maybe she wasn't here, and it was just her imagination?

_Why would SHE be here anyway?_

"What are you doing here Nigel, is it the weekend already?" Maybe if she didn't acknowledge her, it wouldn't be true.

"I'm here to spend your birthday with you….you do know your birthday is tomorrow right?" He was concerned about Andy, her voice seemed disconnected. Now, she didn't seem to know what day it was.

"Nope….?" From the tone of her voice, Andy appeared totally unfazed by her memory lapses.

"Why is Miranda with you?" She asked. Her eyes were still focused in front of her. The chain was being a pain in the ass; it didn't want to go back on properly.

Miranda's eyes widened, she looked at Nigel with the unspoken question plainly written on her face. Nigel just shrugged. He didn't have the answers.

Andrea stood up and stretched, taking off the latex gloves she wore so she wouldn't get grease under her nails. Reaching behind her, she grabbed the t-shirt she had set aside so it wouldn't get all greasy. She finally turned around to face them, her shirt in her hand.

"Hello Miranda." She said, pulling her shirt on over her head.

"Andrea."

Nigel stood there just watching while the two women continued to stare at each other, neither of them saying a word. The silence stretched out painfully, until he couldn't take it anymore.

He had been stuck in a car with Miranda for almost two hours while she tried to pump him for information about Andy, and now that she was in front of the woman, neither of them had anything to say? He wanted to throw his hands up in the air, yell, jump up and down, anything to get them to interact with each other.

"Did you already go for a ride today, Andy?" He asked, hoping the casual question would at least get the conversation going. Miranda wasn't helping at all. She just stood there, looking dumbstruck. He couldn't blame her though. Andy was scaring him, she seemed even farther removed from reality then she had the last time he saw her. Seeing Andy like this after so much time had passed, must be a huge shock for Miranda.

"Yes, this morning. I didn't want to take a chance of missing out on my ride in case those parts were a bitch to install." She waved behind her at the pile of discarded pieces of metal.

"How far did you go?" He asked, he always asked her about her riding, it was the one thing she did every day without fail. The familiar conversation distracted her, she had to think about the distance, and she blinked once before answering.

"Only twenty miles today." Tearing her gaze away from Miranda, she directed a half-hearted smile towards Nigel. She still looked far away, but at least he had some of her attention. "Did you really forget that tomorrow is your birthday, sweety?"

Andy just nodded, yes. She often forgot what day it was, one day blending into the next. It really didn't matter.

"Did you eat yet" he asked gently. Miranda thought that was an odd question until she took a good look at Andréa. She had lost quite a bit of weight. Weight she really didn't have to lose. Andrea's eyes held a haunted, shadowed expression accented by the height of her cheekbones, which were well pronounced, almost hollow. She somehow managed to look younger and older at the same time, her slim body almost waif like in appearance. What was wrong with her? Miranda felt her heart race. What if she was sick? She had just found her again; she wasn't ready to think about losing her.

Miranda made a split second decision even if the next week didn't go how she wanted it to; Andy was coming back to New York with her. Being alone out here wasn't healthy.

"I don't remember" Andy finally answered Nigel's question.

Nigel leveled a worried look in Miranda's direction, then wandered into the kitchen to see what she had available.

Miranda was left alone with Andy for the first time in 6 months. She opened her mouth up to speak, and then found she was unsure what to say. What do you say to someone you haven't seen in 6 months, especially after what happened in Paris.

Andy had started fiddling with her bike again, trying to get her bearings back. It was hard, though, with Miranda staring a hole in her back.

"Have a seat, Miranda" Andy finally broke the silence, remembering her manners, especially when it seemed that Miranda wasn't planning on moving any time soon.

"Andy, you hardly have any food." Nigel announced from the kitchen.

"I wasn't expecting company." she shot back, feeling defensive. She tried to think, when was the last time she went shopping? She couldn't remember. That should bother her; she knew that, the thought penetrating the self imposed fog swirling around her head.

Nigel popped into the doorway. "I'm going to the store, play nice you two." He left before Andy could stop him. She felt confused, the edges of reality turning sharp and clear around her, making her world too real with Miranda in the room with her.

"I'll take your bag upstairs Miranda. You can have my room."

"Where will you sleep?" Miranda asked.

"On the couch." Andy responded, gathering up Miranda's bags as she moved away from her and the conversation.

"No."

"Its fine, I sleep there a lot" Andy started up the stairs. She only had a two bedroom cabin and Nigel had the other room whenever he came to visit.

She checked out her room quickly, pulling out clean sheets for her guest and tossing a few dirty clothes down the laundry chute. The quick cleanup reminded her that she had gone for her ride and then started on her bike. She needed to clean up too.

"I'm just going to take a quick shower, make your self at home" she called down the stairs.

Miranda was sitting on the bed when Andy walked into her room after her shower. She was glad she had wrapped a towel around herself, she usually didn't bother.

Taking in Miranda's expression, Andy swallowed what she was about to say. She really didn't expect Miranda to follow her upstairs when she told her she was going to take a shower, and felt a little put out at her unexpected presence. Besides, she wasn't sure how to take finding Miranda sitting on the edge of her bed. She had entertained that little fantasy for far too long. She had come to the conclusion that it was going to always be that, a fantasy.

"Miranda, is everything ok?" The white haired beauty before her had such a forlorn look, like she had lost the world and just realized it. That look on Miranda's face brought her out of her own misery long enough to express concern.

"You tell me Andréa, is something wrong with you? Are you sick?" Miranda's voice cracked, fear closing her throat and making her swallow hard.

"No, no, I mean….I just lose track of days sometimes. I guess months too, apparently." She said, recalling Nigel's early conversation.

_Had it really been six months? _

"And meals?" Wrapped in only a towel, Andréa's weight loss was painfully evident. She wasn't emaciated by any means, but she was bordering on model thin, which was too thin for Andrea's frame.

"I was always the smart fat girl; you can't call me fat anymore at least." Andy tried to make fun of herself, hoping the joke would ease the tension out of the room. She could tell by Miranda's stern look that it didn't work.

"I never thought you were fat." Miranda stated flatly, dismissing the idea that anyone would think so with a firm wave of her hand.

"Miranda, why are you here?" Andy had to know.

….I looked for you" She said softly, knowing that she wasn't making much sense.

"What?"

"I looked for you after you left, and I couldn't find you."

"Nigel didn't tell me. If I had known you were going to look for me….I would have contacted you" Andy sat on the bed next to Miranda holding her towel closed.

"He didn't know." Miranda replied, noting the interesting way that Andy had worded her response. She hadn't expected her to look for her.

Miranda took Andy's hand in her own, surprised at how thin it felt. Andréa really wasn't taking care of herself.

Nigel came home then, breaking the quiet moment of understanding between the two women.

"I need to get dressed Miranda" Andy stood up, gathering her clothes. When it was obvious that Miranda hadn't taken the hint, she headed into the bathroom to change.

Miranda knew she should have left so Andy could have her privacy, but she had felt frozen in place. She didn't want to let Andréa out of her sight. She was worried she would disappear again. When Andy emerged fully dressed from the bathroom, she found Miranda waiting for her. She stood up, holding her hand out to Andy.

"Come, let's see what Nigel got for us." She gave Andy's hand a slight squeeze. They walked hand in hand to the kitchen.

Nigel couldn't hide his pleased smile when the two women walked into the kitchen holding hands. He figured if anyone could bring Andy back to life it would be Miranda. He was actually glad that Miranda had joined him this week, and wondered about his own motives. He was really in trouble if he was starting to meddle in other people's love life without realizing it. Nigel bent down to put some other things he thought they would need for the week in the refrigerator. He didn't want to over worry Miranda, but there hadn't been a single edible thing in the refrigerator, even after spending a bit of money, there was plenty of room for more. He wouldn't even mention the freezer, which had essentially just been a playground for a few trays of ice cubes.

"So, I got some steaks and baked potatoes for tonight, oh, and I also booked a room at the hotel in town so you ladies can catch up." He really couldn't help but meddle now that the die was cast. He wanted his old Andy back not this shell she had become. Two sets of eyes, one brown and one blue turned towards him with equally suspicious looks.

"Don't worry, I will be back tomorrow for your birthday."

"Ok," Andrea didn't look happy, she looked pale, a thin line of perspiration beading up on her forehead.

"Hey, I'm going to go out on the porch for some fresh air, I'm useless in the kitchen." She pulled her hand away from Miranda, heading for the front door. There were too many people in her tiny house. Andy could feel the tight feeling in her chest threatening to clamp down, heralding a bad panic attack. There were too many emotions. She hadn't felt anything for a very long time; it was too much, feeling this much all at once.

Miranda wanted to follow her, badly, but she had to talk to Nigel first.

"What's going on Nigel?" She didn't have to explain what she meant. Andrea was not herself, and she had to know why.

"I really don't know, Miranda. Something bad happened just after Paris, something she won't talk about with me."

Maybe Miranda could get through to her. He looked up from where he was preparing their dinner.

"What I do know is that every time I come down to visit she is worse." He was angry now, frustrated at his friends slow slide into oblivion, and his apparent inability to stop it.

"Worse, how."

"Forgetful, absentminded, she forgets that I've been by to visit, or like today, she forgets when I tell her I will be back. She forgets to eat, as you can see."

Miranda simply nodded, letting Nigel get it out of his system. How awful for him, dealing with this by himself for all this time. She wished he had trusted her so many months ago.

"She's just existing, Miranda, day to day…she's shut herself away from the world and from herself." He felt the tears gathering at the corner of his eyes, blurring his vision for a moment until he blinked them away.

"She's like a zombie, she's forgotten how to live."

Miranda laid her hand softly on Nigel's shoulder, squeezing lightly. She didn't know what to say.

"What do I need to do, Nigel?" she asked.

Nigel grasped her finger's tightly, transmitting his fear through the firm grip.

"Wake her up, Miranda, bring her back to us?"

"I'll try, Nigel." She patted his shoulder and walked away, looking for Andrea.

"Breath, Andréa you'll be ok."

Miranda had found Andrea out on the porch, she didn't look any better then when she bolted from the kitchen. Miranda pulled Andy into her arms; feeling the tension in her body fight her for a moment, then relax into her embrace, accepting the warmth and safety she offered.

Andy nuzzled into her neck, breathing in Miranda's scent, finding it strangely comforting. She felt like she was falling, Miranda kept her grounded. She felt the fog rising up, threatening to take her away from this moment, Miranda's voice ripped through the fog, offering clarity.

"Talk to me, Andréa."

"I can't right now. I just want to enjoy this, just in case I'm dreaming."

"Does this feel like a dream?" Miranda asked, lightly brushing her lips across Andy's.

"Yes." she sighed.

"It's not." Miranda softly chucked

"Miranda why are you here."

"I came for you."

Over dinner Andy seemed to be waking up from her fog. She sat between Nigel and Miranda, who were carrying on a quiet conversation while Andy pushed her food around on her plate, thinking furiously.

"Nigel,what month is it" She asked suddenly, breaking into their conversation.

"May." The answer surprised her; she did the math in her head while Miranda and Nigel waited, exchanging a quick glance.

"So, six months. And tomorrow is my birthday."

Miranda was stunned. Her ex-assistant had been a proficient time manager and now she seemed to have lost all track of it. She watched Andrea push her food around for most of dinner, seemingly lost in thought.

"Andréa, please eat your dinner, you'll feel better" Miranda put her hand on Andy's thigh. She felt the muscle twitch at the unexpected contact. Yes, Andréa had lost a lot of weight, but she felt a great sense of relief at feeling the defined muscles jumping beneath her touch. She wasn't so far gone that she was losing muscle mass, not yet. She would feel better if she could put some weight back on, though.

Andy took a couple bites of her steak, concentrating on chewing and swallowing. It was good; she didn't want Nigel to think she was ungrateful.

She had lost six months. She looked up, first at Nigel then Miranda.

"I'm not going to be staying here anymore am I?"

"No" Miranda answered. Nigel just shook his head.

"Um, where will I be staying?"

"You always have a place with me" Nigel began but Miranda cut him off .

"The townhouse."

"Your place?" Andy was trying to work it out in her head, she was having trouble focusing. Miranda sat still, watching Andrea's face carefully, giving her time to process things in her own time.

"I'm calling it a night, ladies. See you in the morning" Nigel was going to let them work it out in private. He knew Miranda; she would get her way on this.

"What about the girls?"

"They ask about you all the time. They will be thrilled to have you around."

It was true. The twins had been asking about her at least once a week. They knew their mother had been upset when she disappeared. Andrea had been the only one who could tell them apart, aside from their parents. They had really liked it that there was another adult that took the time to see their differences instead of just seeing them as "the twins".

"Can I take my bike?" It was the only thing that kept her relatively sane for six months.

"Yes, of course"

"What am I going to do there?"

"What do you want to do?"

"I don't really know. It's been awhile since I wrote anything, and I don't think I can handle being your assistant again."

"Why? I will treat you better."

Andy waved that off "It's not that, I think the pace would be too frantic for me right now."

"Well, what have you been doing here? How have you been getting by?" Miranda was very curious.

She followed Andy into the living room. Miranda watched as Andréa lovingly ran her fingers over the bike. She wondered what those fingers would feel like on her body.

"I ride. I live off my parent's inheritance." Seeing the confusion on Miranda's face, Andy tried to explain. She was trying not to be overwhelmed by all the emotions she had locked away so tightly. Explaining everything to Miranda threatened to bring everything crashing back down on her.

"You know what happened in Paris?" Andy looked at Miranda, looking for confirmation.

Miranda nodded, of course she did.

"My parents were supposed to meet me at the airport in New York, they…they never made it. They were killed in a car accident coming to get me."

"I was the only child; there was no other family except me. I was completely alone with no one to talk to, my family was gone. Then the lawyer's came, and I had to deal with the funeral and the wills. It was too much. I let the lawyer's handle everything, and came out here. They were both successful lawyers so it was a pretty big inheritance."

"I don't know what happened after that. I just started existing day to day; not feeling anything. I guess it was easier. Nigel comes and sees me once in a while, but normally only on the weekends. Sometimes that's the only way I even know what day it was."

Andy didn't realize she was crying at first, not until Miranda reached up and brushed the tears away. She had never let them fall before now.

Miranda had heard enough, Andy was in so much pain. She had been alone in her grief, never really allowing herself to grieve properly, to heal and find strength in herself and others. Instead, she had shut down, so sure that she had no one else in her life to love.

"Oh, love, I am so sorry. I can't give you this time back, no one can. But sweetheart, it is far past time for you to come back to the land of the living." Miranda said softly, caressing Andy's cheeks before trailing her fingers down to cup the back of Andy's neck, tangling her fingers in the soft tresses. Gently pulling her into a soft kiss, Miranda tasted Andrea's soft lips, tasting the salt from her tears. The healing kiss turned into something more when Andrea suddenly wrapped her arms around Miranda, deepening the kiss into something hungrier, demanding. She couldn't stop herself from moaning when Andrea's tongue slid across her teeth, demanding entry. She opened her mouth, meeting Andrea's insistent tongue with her own. This was no teasing kiss. This kiss was hotter and sweeter than any the editor had ever experienced before.

They had to come back for air, both women breathing fast and hard. Miranda looked deeply into Andrea's eyes; they were clear and focused, looking at her with wild longing.

"Welcome back darling" Miranda whispered against Andy's bruised lips, the joy in her heart threatening to make her laugh out loud. She was so beautiful, this vibrant woman in her arms.

"More." Andy growled. "Bedroom, now….please, Andréa?"

This time, it was Andy who took Miranda's hand and led her away. The stairs were an annoying obstacle she wanted to take two at a time. Finding the bed, Andy made quick work of their clothes. She wanted to feel Miranda's skin against her own and they were in her way. She was ready to live again.

Miranda was caught up in Andrea's passion. It felt like the dark haired women's hands were everywhere, exploring her body, leaving trails of hot fire wherever her fingertips passed.

Andrea had abandoned Miranda's lips to kiss her elsewhere, leaving a second trail of fire wherever she pressed her lips, licking and nipping the pale flesh until she found her breasts. She sucked the pink flesh into her mouth, lashing the sensitive bud with her tongue until she gasped and moaned her pleasure. Andrea's hand continued to wander, finding the soft curls at the apex of Miranda's thighs. Andy moved, sliding her thigh between Miranda's legs, forcing them to open to her. Andrea rose up above her, sliding her body up until she was looking down at the pale haired beauty laying beneath her. Her fingers continued to explore, spreading the soft lips to find the soft folds hidden beneath. Gliding her fingers into the copious moisture gathering there, she stroked Miranda gently; her fingers teasing her clit, feeling the sensitive flesh engorge with blood, becoming slick and hard beneath her. Andrea's fingers abandoned her for a moment as she shifted her position, reaching beneath her for a moment. Miranda's momentarily confusion was erased when she felt Andrea press herself against her thigh, her wet center slick and hot against her. Andrea chose that moment to enter her, sliding two long fingers into her, curling her fingertips against the slick walls, pressing into her as she moved above her.

Miranda's body was on fire, she could feel Andrea moving against her and in her at the same time. She raised her knee slightly, giving Andrea more leverage.

"Ah, god, Miranda….a little higher, yes, like that." Andrea's strong thighs were clamped around hers, her hips pistoning back and forth in time with the deep thrusts of her fingers, pushing them deep inside Miranda before almost pulling out.

Miranda wanted more; she arched her back into Andrea's body, rocking her hips violently. Andrea lowered her head, taking her nipple into her mouth, sucking and pulling on her, sending electricity travelling along her spine to join the tingling sensation gathering at the base of her skull. The smooth muscles at her center spasmed and flexed against Andrea's fingers as she filled her, her arm pumping hard against the walls of her sex.

It was almost too much, Miranda found herself grasping for something, anything to keep her hanging onto reality. Her hands found Andrea's back, her fingers digging into her shoulder blades as she encouraged her to push harder, faster.

"Andrea…ohhhh." Miranda's voice howled into the night as she tumbled into ecstasy, her orgasm exploding in her brain in a rush of pleasure beyond anything she had ever felt before. She could feel Andy moving against her, her motions losing their rhythm as she tumbled down the abyss with her.

She was laying with her head on Miranda's shoulder looking at their entwined fingers.

"Miranda?"

"Hm?" Miranda was feeling very relaxed. If it was going to be like this all the time she was going to have to up her workouts at the gym just to keep up with her young lover.

"Do you really want me at the townhouse?"

"Yes. I want you near me."

"In my own room?" Andy wasn't sure how much Miranda wanted her.

Miranda stiffened, "Do you want your own room?"

"Nope just checking?" Andy laughed.

"Miranda."

"What, Andréa?" Miranda answered, a little curtly. She kept almost falling asleep with the young woman in her arms. She would almost be asleep when Andrea would ask another question, like some perverse game of twenty questions.

"I love you."

Miranda felt herself melt inside, feeling guilty about getting curt with her, however briefly.

"I love you too darling." Looking at the clock on the bedside table she saw it was close to one in the morning. Rolling over so Andy was under her she kissed those full lips that had captivated her from their first meeting.

"Happy birthday, Andréa."

"Best, ever." Then, Andy smiled her first real smile in ages.

They had to get some sleep. Nigel would be over later and when Miranda and Nigel left so would she. She didn't know what she was going to do with her life, but right now, that was ok. She had time to figure it all out.

"Miranda, what do you think about SUV's?" Andy knew Miranda had a Porche, but didn't know how she felt about bigger vehicles.

"They are fine, why?"

"Well that's what I have. It's handy when I can take my bike places."

"The girls will love it, more room."

And so would she, Andy thought. Settling onto Miranda's shoulder , she wrapped her arm tightly around Miranda's slim waist. Because of Miranda she was going to live again.

_please remember reviews are appreciated_


End file.
